Edwin hit t



(No Model.)

E. R. WHITNEY.

GUT-OUT FOR INGANDBSGENT ELECTRIC LAMPS.

r. A p I A. d

e M t H n U 6 a P w N. PETER: PlwlwLlkhngmplbcr, Wushlnglnn. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ETTWTN RU'lllVEN \VIITTNEY, OF ST. .TOllNSBUltY, VERMONT.

CUT-OUT FOR INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 401,527, dated April16, 1889.

Application filed July 21, 1888.

To (all whom it may concur/ll.-

Be itknown that l, EDWIN RUTHVEN \VHIT- NEY, of St. Johnsbury, in thecounty of (Yaledonia and State of Vermont, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Automatic (rt Outs for Incandescent ElectricLamps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description of the same.

This invention relates to the cut-outs employed in incandescent lampsfor maintaining the closed circuit, and refers more particularly tothose lamps which are provided with an auxiliary high-resistance lamp onan alternate circuit capable of being cut in by means ofelectro-magnct-ic devices, &c.

The object of the invention is to dispense with the use of an y suchelectro-magnetic devices and with the high-resistance lamp orheavy-resistance coils, as the case may be, and substitute for them adevice in the form of a gravity-drop operated by the fusing of a stripof metal situated between and connected with two high-resistance carbonsforming part of a temporary branch circuit for the current whenobstructed in its proper course [or connecting the terminals of analternate branch circuit from the main line, and so allow the currentuninterrupted flow, the device being contained in an auxiliary lamp inorder to protect the carbons and, the drop bein g suspended by a wirefrom the top off the lamp. In connection with this cut-out, and in orderto secure a simple, well-insulated, and eflicient holder with thenecessary triple terminal connections, respectively, for mainline wires,wires to terminals of lamp proper, and wires to terminals of branchrunning through auxiliary lamp containing the operating parts ofcut-out, I use a flat body of non-conducting material, and on oppositeends of this 1 secure three armed metal connecting-pieces, preferablycovered with rubber tubing, the arms projecting, respectively, upward,downward, and outward, and having their ends split to receive the wiresmentioned, which are then held in place by thumb-sleeves ofnon-conducting material screwed on and compressing such ends. The keyfor cutting the lamp in and out by hand is arranged on the face of thebody of the holder, and is preferably formed of a fiat strip of springmetal gerial N0. 280,67". (No model.

faced with rubber or other insulator pivoted at one end to a studscrewed through a portion of the body into contact with the metaleonnecting-pnece on one side of same, its opposite or free end makingconnection when desired with a metal contact-latch communieating withthe other metal connecting-piece. A coiled spring encircles the stud andhas one end connected to the body and the other to the key, thusinsuring a very sudden lift from the latch when disengaged therefrom,and so obviating the chance of sparking. For full comprehension,however, of the invention reference must be had to the annexed drawings,in which Figure 1 shows a front view of holder, lamp proper hungtherefrom, with shade in section, and auxiliary lamp containingoperating parts of cut-out mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is a sectional planview taken on line :10, Fig. l, with glass bulb of auxiliary lampomitted. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional detail of portion of metalconnecting-piece with which the metal key-latch communicates, and Fig. 4is a vertical section of an entire connecting-piece, showingscrew-sleeves in place.

Similar letters of lOfQlQl'lCO indicate like parts.

A represents the non-eomlucting body of the holder; A, portion ofbracket by which it .is supported; B, the lamp proper, with the usualterminals, 1) l); C, the auxiliary lamp, containing the operating partsof the automatic cut-out; and D the shade, of any ordinary kind, hungfrom the bottom of holder A.

P and N are the metal connecting-pieces, secured by screws 1) n onopposite ends of body A (suitably recessed to receive them) and formed,respectively, with three arms, 1 2" 3* and 1 2 3", whose ends are splitto receive, respectively, the main-line wires on m, wires or strips ofmetal, 7 1, leading to terminals 7) l) of lamp proper, and the same, 00, leading to the auxiliary lamp. The ends of these arms are alsoscrew-threaded to receive the screw-sleeves l" N, which serve, whenscrewed fully upon, to compress them, and so hold the wires in place.

E represents the insulating material, preferably rubber tubing, coveringthe connecting-bars.

Coming now to the operating pa ts oi the cut-out, FF are the platinumterminals, connected to the metal strips 0 0 outside the glass bulb, andcarrying on their inside upper ends arms furnished with socket-contactsG G at one. end.

H is a central hanging wire sealed into the top of the lamp, as shown,and having a strip, H, of fusible metal inserted about midway in itslength. To the lower end of H is attached a metal plug, I.

J J are the carbon filaments, the combined resistance of which will begreater than that of the single carbon in the lamp B. These filamentsare connected at one end with the platinum terminals through their arms,and at the other end to the fusible strip H at diiferent points, so thatthe current when temporarily passing between them will fuse it, and soallow the plug I to be dropped into and be held between the contacts GG, thus automatically closing the alternate branch circuit between suchcontacts and their connections with the main line and keeping sameintact.

K is the key for cutting the lamp in and out by hand. It consists of thefiat strip of spring metal, 7:, faced with rubber or other insulator, k,pivoted to stud 70 (also suitably shielded with insulating material,)which is screwed through a projecting portion of the body into contactwith the metal connectingbar P. A coiled spring, 70 is wound around thestud 1.3 has one end secured to the key and the other to the body A, andtends to keep the key in the position shown while the lamp is out in,besides insuring a Very sudden lift at the moment that takes place.

To cut the lamp out, the key is depressed down upon and springs underthe metal latch O, which, as will be seen in Fig. 3, communicates withthe connectingpiece N, and so closes the circuit. A is a shield ofinsulating material to prevent accidental touching of such latch.

What I claim is as follows:

1. In combination with an incandescent electric lamp, an independentglass lamp-bulb, contact-pieces, and carbons of a higher resist ancethan that of the filament in the lamp proper, inclosed in suchindependent bulb, connections of carbons and contact-pieces with mainwires, a wire inclosed in and suspended from top of said independentbulb, a fusible strip forming part of such wire, to which said carbonsare connected, and a dropplug carried by said wire and adapted whendropped to rest on said contact-pieces and form a circuit through them,all as herein set forth, and for the purpose described.

2. In an incandescent electric lamp, the

combination, with the main wires in m and connecting-strips Z Z, of thethree armedinsulated connecting-pieces P N, secured to the holder-bodyA, split to receive said strips Z 7, and the strips 0 0, connectedrespectively to terminals 1) b and F F, and the screwed sleeves P N, forsecuring the several parts firmly in place, as set forth.

In an incandescent electric lamp, the combination, with the main wiresin m and connecting-pieces P N, of stud k csmmuni eating withconnecting-piece P, coiled spring 75 latch O, in contact withconnecting-piece N, and key K, all carried by holder-body A, as shownand described.

EDWIN RU'IHVEN WHITNEY. Witnesses:

D. DEAN PATTERSON, F. G. MOORE.

